Maniolas

Senator Bong Revilla, shown in photo on his way to be detained on plunder and graft charges, said his lawyer, Sal Panelo, only talked about the rats and roaches in his cell in jest. Revilla’s lawyer has said the senator’s family saw rats “as big as cats” inside the senator’s cell. (MNS photo) MANILA, Sept 25 (Mabuhay) – The Sandiganbayan First Division has upheld its decision to suspend Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. and his former staff Richard Cambe for 90 days over the plunder and graft charges they are facing in connection with the alleged P10-billion pork barrel scam. In a 17-page resolution on Wednesday, the graft court junked the motion of reconsideration filed by Revilla’s camp, saying it found no basis to change its decision. In the same ruling, it also denied the senator’s prayer to suspend proceedings and upheld the existence of probable cause against him and Cambe. “In the present cases, the validity of the Informations against accused Revilla and Cambe has been established. (T)he Court, then and now, has pronounced that there is probable case to indict the accused-movants with plunder and violation of the anti-graft law,” the Sandiganbayan said. The anti-graft court ordered the suspension last August 4, as Revilla and Cambe face plunder and graft charges over the alleged pork barrel scam. Revilla, one of the three senators detained over the pork barrel scam, is accused of receiving P224.5 million in kickbacks from 2006 to 2010 from alleged mastermind, Janet Lim-Napoles. He surrendered Read More …

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III signs the Harvard University official guest book during public forum at Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts on Monday (MNS photo) NEW YORK – Saying there is still much ​to​ be done, Manila called​ on Washington to approve ​its request for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to allow undocumented Filipinos in the United States to help the Philippines rebuild much faster from the devastation wreaked by Typhoon Haiyan. In letters to Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario underscored the importance of the request, saying its approval would not only alleviate the plight of eligible Filipinos in the US but also greatly ease the strain placed in the country’s infrastructure and resources. “I take this opportunity to once again reiterate the Philippine Government’s request for the US Government’s immediate positive consideration of the request.” Secretary Del Rosario said. “Many of my countrymen in the US were affected by Typhoon Haiyan. This humanitarian assistance would provide temporary relief for them from the natural disaster,” he added. Secretary Del Rosario sent the letters, which were dated 22 September 2014, to Secretary Kerry and Secretary Johnson more than a month after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told leaders of the Filipino-American Community that​the Philippine request to be placed under TPS is still under consideration. Manila formally filed for TPS designation in December, a few weeks after Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful storms in Read More …

The amazing Kreskin predicts: It’s Mannyfist Destiny. Photo Credit: Chris Farina/Top Rank GENERAL SANTOS (AFP) – Philippine boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao threw down a fresh challenge to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Thursday, daring the American world champion to “fight me” instead of setting terms that could torpedo the dream bout. “He’s all talk. Until now he has not yet agreed to fight me. Instead of blabbing, he should face me atop the ring,” Pacquiao told AFP in an interview. Ring fans the world over have been baying for a mega-fight between two of the world’s greatest boxers of their generation, but previous talks have always broken down before a deal could be signed. Pacquiao, 35, has held world titles in eight separate weight divisions. He is training to defend his World Boxing Organization welterweight title against another undefeated American, Chris Algieri, in Macau in November. Mayweather, who scored a lopsided victory over Marcos Maidana in a rematch in Las Vegas on Saturday, pushing his record to 47-0, later denied he was trying to safeguard his unblemished record by avoiding Pacquiao. However, he said a Pacquiao bout would have to be on the American’s terms. Pacquiao retorted Thursday that great fighters did not duck facing the best and did not let any challenge pass by. “I’m tired of his alibis. If he really wants to fight me, he knows how to reach me. We can fight anytime, anywhere,” Pacquiao added. The Filipino, who has won 56, lost five and drawn two Read More …

www.pechanga.com Internationally known for their beautiful dance performance of “Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva,” the world famous China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe will be returning to Pechanga for two shows on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at 4pm and 8pm. The China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe uses its unique artistic charm and profound spiritual connotation that is beyond the boundaries of language, culture and ethnic background, to let everyone enjoy the artistic blend of spiritual and emotional enlightenment. The China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe was established in 1987 and composed series of large-scale music and dance for “My Dream” in 2000, enabling the troupe to become a world-class performing arts group. “My Dream” and the performance of “Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva” has also become a world known trademark. The performance will be assembled with varieties of: vocal music, instrumental music that covers different ethnic and western backgrounds. The dance performances include different cultural styles including ballets, Latin American, modern, opera, musical theater, sign language poetries, dances of the blind, and sign language dances. The Art Troupe also filmed a documentary film entitled “My Dream,” published a book and distribute pictures profiling the special art and life of disability actors. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.Pechanga.com or call Pechanga Resort & Casino toll free at 877-711-2946.  Shows in the Pechanga Theater offer a comfortable and intimate concert experience. With 1,200 seats in its theater, each show features state-of-the-art and acoustically perfected sound. Enjoying favorite artists at Pechanga versus other venues proves effortless with free valet and self-parking for guests, complimentary casino/resort shuttles, gourmet and Read More …

Madam Fides Herrera-Lim, Consul General Herrera-Lim, Deputy Consul General Imelda Panolong with officers and staff of the Philippine Consulate General. Los Angeles – The Philippine Consulate General attended the 40thAnnual Peñafrancia Festival held at Lincoln Park, Los Angeles on 20 September 2014. The 2014 Peñafrancia Festival is held to celebrate the feast day honoring Our Lady ofPeňafrancia in the month of September by the United Bicolandia of Los Angeles (UCBLA), the umbrella organization of Bicolanos from Southern California. Consul General Leo Herrera-Lim and Madame Fides Herrera-Lim graced the event together with officers and staff from the Philippine Consulate General.  In his remarks, Consul General Herrera-Lim commended UBLA for organizing a successful festival, bringing together the Fil-Am community, and showcasing the Filipinos devotion to the Virgin Mary. The Virgin’s statuette on a “pagoda” barge decorated with flowers and balloons and rowed around the park lake, followed by a foot procession on the lake’s perimeter amid rosary prayers, Marian hymns and shouts of “Viva la Virgen!”. The whole-day celebration, draws devotees and guests every year and has always been one of the biggest fluvial festivals and only one of its kind for Filipinos in Southern California.  The Archbishop Emeritus Roger Cardinal Mahoney celebrated the mass at Lincoln Park. The highlight of the fiesta was a fluvial parade, featuring yellow-shirted “voyadores” carrying the image of the Virgin Mary aboard a floral barge towed by boats around the lake.  The fluvial procession is accompanied by a foot procession along the perimeter of the lake.  Uniformed Knights of Columbus provided the guard of honor. Penafrancia